Catching Pam's Wave....it's been a while

"I escape to the beach…. my heart’s inspiration,

Where the sky meets the ocean in magnificent flirtation

My Atlantic life.....such a blissful retreat,

Where nature's incredible symphony, holds me complete

In the gentle sway of my hammock's embrace,

I drift away to my own magical space…💕"

Well, it's been quite a while since I managed to get a blog out, and I apologize.....the inn has been even busier than last summer! Lots and lots of wonderful guests/friends (many, many returning friends which has been incredible 💕), we even hosted a wedding party for a weekend, which was cool.

Some of the Wedding Party enjoying the Courtyard Deck

Although having every single guest appear for breakfast at the same time, can be a bit of a logistical challenge when there are only two of you, but JB kicked the wedding morning off with a huge plate of freshly baked yummy monkey bread (of which obviously I had to taste test 😋) which went down extremely well, before we served up our regular cooked breakfast.

JB's Awesome Monkey Bread...

fresh from the oven

It was a crazy busy few days, so when everyone in the group had left, apart from the happy couple, who were remaining with us for some much-needed downtime, and JB suggested I head to the beach for a couple of hours.....it didn't take much persuading. And before he had finished his sentence, I was grabbing my car keys!!!

Not so fast though, JB then had another idea - that I should take a picnic treat with me....some toasted granary bread, Boursin cheese and a glass of wine. Now, although it seemed a tad decadent, I thought, why not? Within minutes, I had toasted the bread and wrapped it in foil, grabbed some Boursin cheese with herbs and shallots (one of our favorite staples that we always have in our fridge), a little pot of garlic + onion jam, some fresh grapes, and a teensy bottle of Merlot.....and off I went!

Now, I could have walked the 3 mins to the beach, but with a gentle breeze blowing, the call of my hammock was just too great to pass - There is something ethereal about lazing in a hammock, rocking in the warm wind whilst watching the waves....and in just 10 mins Jake (my Jeep) and I can be parked on an incredible sandy beach with my trusty hammock unpacked and ready for some lounging - Atlantic style.

My Happy Place...and where I wrote my latest poem

One of the many awesome things about our Hatteras beaches, apart from their indisputable beauty and the fact that I can drive Jake to my picnic spot and set up right next to the Jeep....is, that I can always find a quiet space with a nice "buffer" on both sides.

It's not that I don't like seeing families and friends having fun, on the contrary, it's wonderful to see everyone enjoying our spectacular beaches in their own way - swimming, surfing, fishing, shelling, walking, hanging out with friends, playing games, eating, drinking, sunbathing or like me.... escaping from work for a little while to relax, chill, read, write and watch the waves....the beach has something for everyone.

But.......I do like my personal space, and no not because I'm getting old and grumpy, or that I'm hugely anti-social (well JB would probably say I'm a little of both at times😁), I've just always needed space to myself and although I enjoy all of the fun activities listed above, for me, the beach and ocean provide me so much more....it's my escape, my haven, my confidant, my shelter, my idea generator...my inspiration 💕

So there I was in my sandy sanctuary, watching the waves and writing furiously - often at the beach, the thoughts/ideas in my head outweigh my capacity to write fast enough......it's just as well that I so enjoy the actual art of putting ink on paper, as sometimes, I'll write 'til my hand aches!

Alas......it was time to assemble my decadent little feast😋

What an amazing treat - instead of munching on a bag of potato chips and a store-bought sandwich, I had my perfect mini banquet, complete with a rather lovely Merlot (although I do wish we had more options for red wine in small bottles on the island). Sitting comfortably on my beach blanket sampling the exquisite tastes of my garlic and herb cheese with garlic and onion jam (yes I love garlic and it's so good for you!) on scrumptious rustic, granary bread whilst sipping my merlot 🍷was a completely delightful way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon. Was it frivolous?....most likely. Was it a teensy bit decadent?......probably. Was it indulgent?......most definitely. Was it worth it?........Absolutely 💕

It literally took several minutes to organize and a couple of hours out of my day, but that time spent at the beach provided me a bounty of goodness...... a much needed breather, rest, relaxation, a calmed mind, a fresh perspective, some inspiration, and a feeling of "pampering" myself, all of which were priceless!!!!!

As an aside, remember I mentioned how inspiration/ideas often strike when I'm sitting next to my ocean? Well, whilst enjoying my deliciously decadent picnic, I got to thinking how easy it had been to prepare for - I had the food in the fridge (definitely helps to own a hotel with commercial fridges full of food 😉) and pantry. My Jeep is always beach ready - with my hammock/chairs, beach blankets, cushions, beach towels, sunshades, wet-wipes, napkins, and cool-bag....always ready for a mini adventure!!

But, when you come here on vacation and stay at the inn, you may not have everything you need for a last-minute gastronomic indulgence on the beach....or anywhere else on the Outer Banks. I had already thought to offer guests a "picnic service", but I hadn't thought about the other "comfort factors" that make such a big difference to your picnic experience - the chairs, a stable surface to put food and drinks on, a beach blanket, fresh beach towels, a sunshade (that works .....thank goodness for Neso and Shibumi😁) cushions for your head when you have a little snooze etc.

So, I've decided to up the ante..... and, as part of our "Inndulgences" options at the inn, instead of just offering the food & drink for a picnic, you can also opt to have the entire ultimate Atlantic Picnic, with everything you would need to make your day even more magical.

So, apart from escaping to the beach and picnicking, what have I been up to that has kept me so occupied???

As mentioned earlier, the inn is keeping JB and I exceptionally busy, from 5am 'til whenever at night, there is always something that needs doing (and yes, we are absolutely still having fun owning and running the inn),

So glad we had the car park extended...

but I've also been working on a few other projects.....

The first is a new women’s retreat “My Atlantic Sanctuary” - This retreat offers a carefully curated blend of workshops & activities to help you unwind, destress, and reconnect with a happier, healthier inner self. It’ll be the perfect opportunity to declutter your mind, body, and soul…. Say goodbye to that baggage you’ve been hauling around for too long, shed the blues, and kickstart your life!

Recharge: With a few days of guilt-free relaxation, mindfulness and serenity

Find Inner Peace: With mindfulness and meditation practices, you’ll find a new inner peace and calmness

Free Yourself from Baggage: This retreat offers a chance to escape the stresses of everyday life and while you're here, why not say goodbye to those unresolved challenges - you know, the ones that have been stealing time in your thoughts, dreams, and subconscious

Connect with Like-Minded Women: The retreat provides a supportive and judgement-free environment where you can connect with like-minded women and build meaningful relationships that will last beyond our retreat time together

Have Fun: With activities and adventures like the "Anchors Away" boat trip and "Vino Inspiro Partum", you can let loose and have some fun in a safe, trusting and supportive environment

Sound like something you’d like to do or may need??

I’ll be posting details and dates in the next few days!

The second project I’ve been engrossed in, was refreshing my original women’s retreat - “My Atlantic Retreat” This has been a super successful retreat in the past, and with the theme still relevant and important to so many women, I wanted to refresh, rewrite and rework some of the workshops and activities before scheduling the next one (which will probably be in October)

"Sometimes, you have to step outside the person you've been, and remember the person you were meant to be….The person you want to be”

– Is it time to write a new chapter in your life?

Too often, instead of being our own person, we identify solely with our current (or previous) role in life - Our career, our marriage, our relationships, being the mother of our children, being a caregiver etc., and when one of those changes or ends, we are lost....not quite sure who we are anymore.

This retreat will help you to step away from your current role, name it, and acknowledge how important….or not, these roles are in moving forward with your life, allowing you to plan for a more exciting and happy future....dates coming soon

Thirdly of course, I’ve been working on my writing - playing around with different ideas for my poetry, journaling as always…..and, what I hope is the beginnings of a book 😉

Finally, there are a couple of other projects that are being kept under wraps for now - although I'm super excited about them and will hopefully update you really soon!!

So, there you have it….again, please accept my apologies for not posting recently, but I will try to squeeze in the time to update you more regularly - and will most definitely post more pics.

Here are just a few for now...

Sunset at the end of Hatteras Island

My Atlantic Ocean 💕

Even Mr Turtle is heading for The Atlantic Inn...🐢

Until Next Time...

Take care, Stay Safe and....as cool as possible in this rather intense summer heat!

Love and Hugs,

Pam 💕